| Rasboroides vaterifloris | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Danionidae |
| Subfamily: | Rasborinae |
| Genus: | Rasboroides |
| Species: | R. vaterifloris |
| Binomial name | |
| Rasboroides vaterifloris (Deraniyagala, 1930) | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
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Rasboroides vaterifloris, known as the pearly rasbora, vateria flower rasbora or fire rasbora, is a species of freshwater cyprinid fish endemic to Sri Lanka. It can be found in the shallow waters of shaded, slow-flowing clear streams with a silt substrate. It also prefers areas with plentiful leaf debris. Its diet consists of detritus and terrestrial insects. This species can reach a length of 4 centimetres (1.6 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. [3]
R. vaterifloris was formerly believed to be the only species in the genus and found in several river basins. A study in 2013 found that it was restricted to the Kalu River basin, with related species inhabiting other basins. [4] However, a comprehensive taxonomic review in 2018 based on morphometry, meristics and mtDNA found that one of the species recognized in 2013, R. nigromarginatus (also restricted to the Kalu River basin), is a junior synonym of R. vaterifloris. [5] Although this expands its range in the Kalu River basin, R. vaterifloris is more threatened than the relatively widespread R. pallidus . [5]
